Five-year-old Harshit Saumitra on Friday became the youngest person to reach the base camp of Mount Everest, covering the 62-kilometre-long-trek in ten days.
Harshit had to contend with thick snowfall due to the tail end of Cyclone Hudhud, but he was able to complete the trek to the base point at an altitude of 5,380 metres. He also climbed the nearby Kalapathar Peak, which is at a height of 5,550 metres.
"I felt very good. I unfurled the Tricolour at the Everest base camp," said Harshit, upon his return.
By achieving this feat, Harshit, a class I student in a school in the national capital, broke the previous record held by seven-year-old Aaryan Balaji, also an Indian, who had reached the base camp in 2012.
"We were worried that Harshit might experience altitude sickness. But he didn't face any problem," said his father, Rajeev Saumitra, who had scaled the Everest in 2013.
Harshit now plans to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa, which is at a height of 5895 metres. He also plans to complete the trek to Mount Everest.
